Friday, June 17, 2011

The most lopsided 7 game series in NHL finals History

Usually there is silver lining to be found in 7 game series lose, but not this time. The Canucks were badly outplayed and badly out coached. The Canucks were miserable at even strength and abysmal on the power play. As for the penalty killing, the Canucks managed to do something no one else has done, viz., make a Bruins power play that was poor during the regular season and terrible during the first 3 rounds look pretty good.
The Canucks forwards and defense played equally badly and Luongo melted down yet again. It was 7 game series that felt like a 4 game sweep.

Statistically this was the most one sided 7 game series in NHL history by a large margin. The Canucks scored the fewest goals in a 7 game NHL
final and the -15 goal differential was worst mark for any series in NHL history. I am also willing to bet that this is the first time
that a team has surrendered more shorthanded goals in a 7 game final (3) than they scored power play goals (2).

The 2011 Canucks an lost an amazing 6 games by 3 or more goals. Only once did they beat a team by more than 3 goals. By comparison, the 1994 team was only beaten by more than 3 goals once and won by 3 or more goals 5 times. 1994 team scored 15 more goals than they allowed. The 2011 allowed an incredible 13 more goals than they scored. Since the NHL went to 4 rounds, no team making the finals had allowed more goals than they had scored. The Canucks are the first. That said, the 1975 Buffalo Sabers (3 rounds) allowed -5 more goals than they scored and the 1968 Blues (3 rounds) allowed 8 more goals than they scored, and needless to say lots of finalists in pre 1967 era had allowed more goals than the scored. However, -13 mark is the worst in NHL playoff history.

All that being said, had the Canucks won game 7, they would not have been the least deserving champion of all of sport. That title goes to the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees outscored the Pirates 55-27, but Pirates won the series on the final at bat.

The Yankees won game two 16-3, game three 10-0 and game six 12-0.

I would not have minded in the least being in such company, but alas it was not to be. The Canucks were as pathetic in game 7 as they were in games 3,4 and 6.